Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Feminism Vs Hilary Clinton.

So recently, Social media has been agog about Nigerian author ChimamandaNgoziAdichie’s question to former US Senator and First Lady, HillaryClinton on why her Twitter bio reads “wife” first, while interviewing her at a PEN world voices festival lecture in Manhattan.

According to Chimamanda, she said she was “alittlebitupset” that despite her career achievements, she CHOSE to be primarily identified as a wife in her twitter bio while her husband BillClinton does not have “husband” in his. Adichie wanted to know if it’s her choice to want to first be identified in relation to her husband and if so, why.

Hillary in her response, said that at the end of the day, it won’t matter if you got a raise, or wrote a great book, if you’re not someone who values relationships. She also mentioned that if you’re one who wants to be identified with your career accomplishments, more power to you, If you’re one who likes to be identified with your family values, then more power to you! (2 very valid points I picked from her response).
She even said she was going to change the “wife” in her bio.

At that point, i immediately ran to twitter to check if Hillary Clinton actually changed her bio and to my utmost joy, she didn’t! (As at the time of writing this). How can someone be upset and try to dictate what someone else should have in her Social media handle? Her bio has remained exactly same way as has always been. Wife, mom, grand-mother before every other thing. I think we should respect people’s choices and family values. And having “wife” as the first identification in your bio isn’t such a horrible thing to have someone be “alittlebitupset” about it. My highlights though, has been people’s outbursts and reactions.

Here are a few;

And there are lots more! Social Media literally went frenzy with many, sharing their different views.

To me, that question was sort of a way to make women feel the need to put more of their accomplishments out there than they do their marital statuses like some of their male counterparts do and if possible, not all. But when you add ” a little bit upset” to it, then it becomes disturbing. In my mind…” Isityourbio“? whyshouldyoubeupset?” People can choose to celebrate what matters most to them. And it really shouldn’t be a problem to anyone. Feminism isn’t about competition of genders.

You see, people’s values are different. To some, family is everything and family comes first. Like Hillary said, it wouldn’t even matter how much accomplishments you make in life if you’re someone who doesn’t value family!

These men right here are examples that no matter where you’ve reached in life, your family matters A LOT.

To some others, family isn’t a top priority and on a scale between profession and family, there’s likely no balance. Professional career comes top with little or no relation to family.

Chimamanda is a great author, whom I admire a lot. In one of her books, ” Weshouldallbefeminists,” she widely showcased her strong beliefs in feminism which I think was great. However, not everyone values her ideologies and perceptions and being a famous figure, she might be leading some people on to her own beliefs. Almost like shoving it up their throats.

I’m beginning to think this feminism thing has different types. Or should I say version.

The HillaryClinton’s type (ofcourse she is also a widely-known feminist).

The independent-woman, Beyoncé’s type,

And the professional-accolades type of Chimamanda and so forth!

What amazes me however, is that these proclaimed feminists are ‘happily’ married to their husbands. While making it look as if it’s an offense to identify with your family relationships publicly no matter who’s involved here. This to me, is quite somehow. No one knows for sure what happens in their homes and there’s really no need to sell a different perception to younger minds. Marriage is really a good thing and there’s no battle of the sexes.

I just think that, people should leave others alone and if someone wants to write whatever they want in their bio, let them be and just mind your own business. Actually the main thing is everyone should literally mind their own business and stay in their lane.

Lol. I can’t hide that your comment Joan, cracked me up. LMAO. I genuinely understand from Ms Adichie’s standpoint. Perhaps she was trying to ask Hilary to put her accomplishments first before her status especially since her husband Bill, didn’t add ‘husband’ to his.
My concern however is, the message of feminism is gradually straying from the original cause and becoming more of a supremacy tussle which genuinely shouldn’t be.
Hilary even as a feminist adores being identified as a wife first, now I don’t understand why another feminist should be upset about it.

I am not a big fan of Hillary Clinton, but if someone wants to identify as a wife or mother over career success I see nothing wrong with it. I think people spend too much time in this day and age worrying about appropriate social constructs.

I agree with you Ally, whether she decides to be identified by her family relationships first or not, it’s not a battle of the sexes or supremacy. Sometimes in trying to project a supposedly good cause, we miss the point!

I’m personally glad that Hillary didn’t change her bio. Despite any other achievements I may have now or in the future, at the end of the day being a wife and a mother is what drives me and brings the most joy to my life.

I have seen this happen a lot with feminists. We should be careful that we are not letting our prejudices impact someone else and defintely not on their social platforms. It’s a person’s choice if they want to be wife first, daughter, friend , boss

Thankyou! We need a world where each individual will be identified & respected first as a human irrespective of their gender. And whatever way they want to be addressed and known for should equally be respected.

I think the point of feminism is that women can be anything they want and should not be limited by society. We should be proud to achieve the most successful career and also be proud to only be a wife or a mother.

The fact that we are spending so much time and effort even discussing this is beyond me. I mean, I think the question your post raises is a valid one, but the idea that it even has to be raised at all is a social commentary in and of itself. As far as I’m concerned, it simply isn’t anyone else’s business how you decide to define yourself, online or otherwise. They can certainly choose to roll with you or not because of your choices, but it isn’t their business to limit or censor your choices in the process.

Hey Jess! Thanks for shaking this table!!! It was very necessary. I’ve had my many opinions on the new wave of feminist, as well as the influence celebrity feminist like Chimamanda have on the general perceptions of women in our time. I think she’s just taking it too far now. Like I didn’t even know she was married until I saw her husband in a magazine article the other day and was like …na wa oooo. Whether we like it or not, we cannot only be identified as “strong women”. We have families, careers, relationships, friendships.. Infact we have vulnerabilities. Trying to paint a picture of an all round singular woman is just not even natural. If some women want to portray themselves like that, no wahala…but as for me, I do not support a lot of feminist ideologies. And let me not just bring Christianity into it because that’s a whole other blog post 😂😂 …

Thanks a lot Joan, you forgot to add that she’s also a mother too. I don’t think anyone has “Upsettingly” questioned her choice of keeping her maiden name or refusing to be identified as “Mrs”. People should learn to respect people’s boundaries. And to think well, Hillary obliged, I personally would have no one convince me otherwise especially since no one has ever convinced her choice to be addressed as Ms even as a married woman! We should have a background from which all things filter!
Like you Joan, I do not support all feminist ideologies especially as I do not know what goes on in their homes. Live and let live.
Thanks a lot for your comment.

Hillary was honest in her response. Because after all, she still chose to be with Bill even after Bill cheated on her. She should put wife first. That was and is her priority. She supported Bill. She earned that “wife” thing no doubt. And what makes Hillary a feminist is that she protects a woman’s right to choose. She protects reproductive rights and choice. That’s the only thing that will advance equity is if we don’t become property of fathers and husbands like when the USA was founded and women weren’t considered humans.
The interview question was perhaps made personal, but that’s okay. Ratings must have gone up, right? With all the buzz… Seems like a win win for these ladies.

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